A Blow to the Heart
by brilliantmemories
Summary: “The jocks and the preps are in bad standing due to the clumsiness of their clique members. Kirby hasn’t quite figured it out yet, but he may just be in love with his enemy." Warning, Slash. FINAL CHAPTER IS UP AND RUNNING!
1. Coward

**Title: **"A Blow to the Heart"

**Pairing:** KirbyxTad

**Rating:** T

**Summary_: _**_"The jocks and the preps are in bad standing due to the clumsiness of their clique members. Kirby hasn't quite figured it out yet, but he may just be in love with his enemy."_

**Authors Notes:** WOO! Something other than PeteyxEdward, I thought I'd give this couple a try. I love the jocks & the preppies. A little longer than my last story, yey, let's hope this one goes longer.

**Disclaimer:** I DO NOT OWN "Bully" and any of its characters, etc. or anything else that I mention within this entire story.

* * *

**Chapter 1 - Coward**

The sun casted heavy shadows across the school grounds, making it very hard to see. Kirby was walking to the gym when he ran into Tad Spencer. The tall, auburn haired preppy growled at him and quickly got up, dusting off his clothes. The smaller boy glared at him and shoved him out the way. Tad punched him in the stomach and walked off, leaving Kirby, grinning. Ted ran past the stuck up prep and stood beside Kirby and looked at him.

"Don't even try to fight him." Ted said, with a tone of annoyance in his voice. Of course Tad wasn't the best fighter. He was nothing compared to Russell, but still, he beat Kirby by a far mile. He shoved his hands into his lettermen jacket and patted Kirby on the back. Kirby held his side, grimacing.

"He's a boxer. No one can beat a boxer. Well, except me." Ted beamed, as he set off to the gym. Kirby looked to his right, at the Harrington house where Tad disappeared into. One day he would beat him.

"Someday he'll have a taste of my pound cake," he whispered to himself, growling as he dragged himself to the field. He walked down the steps and slid down the rail to look at his pride and joy, the football field. He smiled as he took a seat on one of the benches, looking at the green grass on the field that swayed back and forth. He ran his fingers through his chocolate, brown hair and tapped his fingers on his knees. Damon came running out the jock's changing room and tossed the football at Kirby.

"Argh!" he took it right in the face and fell off the bench and landed in the mud. He heard Damon roaring with laughter. A moment later he appeared over his face, smiling. He reached out his hand and pulled Kirby up.

"Hah! Your shoes are _covered_ with mud!" Kirby looked down at his white tennis shoes – or at least, they used to be white.

"NO!" Kirby shrieked, running off the field, shoving by the prefects as they tried to grab him for truancy. As he burst through the door and jumped into his dormitory bedroom he grabbed a cleaner from under his bed. He pulled off his shoes in a flash and started to scrub them furiously. Slowly, the brown started to wear away and his shoes were white like snow once again. He sighed and relief and looked up to see Tad standing in his door.

"Aww, did you get your shoes dirty?" he teased Kirby. He had forgotten that he was sharing a dormitory bedroom with _him_… Kirby mumbled something unintelligent and went back to washing his shoes. They were whiter than snow now. He tried to avoid Tad's stare but Tad made it impossible.

"They're not even good shoes." He laughed, and Kirby flinched.

_Don't mess with a boxer… don't mess with a boxer, _he kept repeating in his head. Tad invited himself in and closed the door behind him. Kirby keep his eyes on his shoes, scrubbing them furiously. He heard Tad's footsteps tap around the room. He could feel a pair of eyes focusing on him. He swallowed and wiped off his shoes with a cloth he took from the jock changing room. He cleaned off all the excess liquid – which was quite a lot - and put his shoes on quickly, starting for the door. A hand grabbed his arm.

"Hey, we didn't finish off from this morning," he whispered amusingly. Kirby's face hardened, as he felt the pressure on his shoulder grow. He felt as if his arm was going to pop off. He bit his lip and felt his arm twist around his back and he yelped. He could hear Tad laugh in pleasure. Kirby turned around and kicked Tad in the square in the chest. Tad fell back and gasped for breath, flipping Kirby off. Kirby growled and kicked Tad while he was down, a sudden group was surrounded by his door. He spat near his face and turned away, pushing through the group of people who laughed at Tad.

"You coward." He heard Tad yell out. Kirby froze in his spot and he felt all eyes turn to him. "Yeah, you can never beat a boxer, you loser. You're such a baby." He felt intimidated by his taunts and he still stood there, glued to the spot. He saw him smirk out of the corner of his eye and he breath quickened. Tad's words shouldn't have affected him like that, but they did and he walked out without saying another word. The words he heard from the bullies were much harsher than coward and the words from the nerds were – well he didn't understand what the nerds were saying. He trudged through the school grounds, grumbling. He kept his head down and walked back to the field, bumping into yet another snob.

"Watch where you're going, pauper!" an angry British accent hissed. He looked up at noticed Bif growling at him with Derby at his side. Bif turned his head and looked off into the distance while Derby glared at him with tired eyes. He took a step back and noticed his hand was in Bif's. He blinked again and made sure things were correct. Bif was holding Derby's hand, not as friends, but as lovers? Derby looked at Kirby with a confused face and quickly pushed away Bif's hand, walking quickly past him.

"Wait, Derby!" Bif called, trailing behind him by a few feet. Kirby shook his head, trying to rid of the past. The first time Trent and him had gone to the movies was a bit shaky, but they laughed it off in the end. Later on, Trent had come to his room with roses and he surrendered his body to him. A few nights after that, Trent had told him it was going too fast. His heart shattered and he never once loved again. No, never. Not even Ted, or Damon, or any of the cute boys that walked around on campus. He found himself standing at the edge of the field, his tears falling onto the dark green grass. He plopped his self on a bench and curled up into a ball. The stars twinkled across the endless, dark, sky and there was a gorgeous full moon hanging in the sky, emitting a white glow across the school grounds. The small wind ruffled his hair and blew his many tears away. The breeze died down and a voice came from behind him.

"It's time for some pound cake." Kirby turned around to see a brown haired boy punching his hand into his palm, grinning, and advancing on him.


	2. Torture

**Title: **"A Blow to the Heart"

**Pairing:** KirbyxTad

**Rating:** T+

**Summary**_**: **__"The jocks and the preps are in bad standing due to the clumsiness of their clique members. Kirby hasn't quite figured it out yet, but he may just be in love with his enemy. _

**Authors Notes:** Wow. I truly love this chapter, it's my absolute favorite of what I've written so far. I think I see Ted and Kirby's relationship going far, but I really wanted to focus on the love/hate relationship between Tad and Kirby. I'm trying hard right now, so keep reading! WARNING, TONS OF SLASH.

**Disclaimer:** I DO NOT OWN "Bully" and any of its characters, etc. or anything else that I mention within this entire story.

* * *

**Chapter 2 - Torture**

"No, don't, Tad." Kirby begged at Tad's knees. The jock pleaded over and over again while Tad rested the wooden baseball bat upon his neck, smirking. Tad smashed his foot into Kirby's shoulder, causing the boy to skid across the grass. He sat up, clutching his lettermen jacket. Laughing, Tad picked him up by the collar, dropping the bat onto the ground.

"You know, I _never ever_ liked you," he hissed, "_Kirby_. What a girlish name. You little runt," he tossed Kirby to the ground, laughing even harder. He picked up the bat and crouched beside him, chuckling into the small boy's ear. Kirby clasped his hands over his ears, crying out for help.

"Do you wear a skirt for Ted, when Mandy's gone? Maybe you wear _her_ skirt." He howled with laughter, keeping the bat right in Kirby's reach. He went to grab for it, but Tad slammed his fingers with his fist, causing Kirby to shriek out in pain.

"Don't be such a _naughty,_ boy!" he leaned on the bat like a cane, ignoring the fact that students could be watching. The sun was setting as he kicked Kirby hard in the side again, tossing him around like a rag doll. Kirby's body was screaming out in agony for the torture to stop, but no, Tad kept playing his dirty little game. Kirby rolled over, holding onto his sides, gasping for breath. The pain was excruciating. Tad lifted the bat above his head, ready to give the final strike.

"Don't you _dare, _swing that bat," a low pitched voice threatened. Kirby looked out of the corner of his eye and noticed Tad frozen, his skin color draining. His face crumpled as Ted grabbed his arm and twisted it around his back, pushing on the back of his brand new Aquaberry sweater with his black sneakers. Tad screamed out in distress and fell to the ground, cursing under his breath. "You mess with one of the jocks, you mess with the rest of us," and he removed his foot from the preppy's back. Tad stumbled off the field, tripping and falling up the stairs. Kirby lied on the rough ground, tracing lines in the grass. Ted sighed and reached out to him, holding his hand out. Kirby glanced up at him and took his hand, helping him up rapidly.

Ted pulled him into a tight embrace. He held Kirby up against his chest, cradling his back with his strong, arms. Kirby felt his face redden as he tried to push himself away, hoping that the students weren't still watching. Ted gently cupped Kirby's face in his hands and pulled him in closer, their faces inches apart. Kirby searched Ted's eyes for the answer. _He was with Mandy, wasn't he?_ Ted's lips skimmed his neck, inhaling Kirby's scent. He winced and took a step back, ignoring Ted's surprised gaze. Kirby shook his head, tears rolling down his cheek. He held his hands up to his face and suppressed a sob, as his heart tore in half. Ted edged closer to him, trying to put his arm around the wounded boy. Kirby pushed his arm away, stumbling backwards. He turned around and sprinted off the field into the gym, pushing through everyone to get to the locker rooms. He tossed his self in and jumped into the stalls. He slammed the door shut and listened to the silence. He ran his fingers along the creases in the tiles, listening to the footsteps that would walk by the room every once in a while. The second bell went off telling students class was about to start, and Kirby remained, sitting still.

_So Ted likes me in _that_ way huh…? What ever happened to Mandy? That's just not… right… The way he held my face though… it felt so… right, but wrong. Wrong that the fact his hands weren't the ones I was craving for... Why..? Who do I want to be with?_

Kirby sat on the ground for a long time, trying to find himself. The bell rang for classes to end and kids ran and shouted down the hallway. Kirby held his knees tighter, frowning as he heard Ted yelling his name. The large jock stomped into the locker room, yelling his name.

"Kirby, where are you, buddy?" he could heard a hint of pain in his tone. Kirby could feel a sneeze coming on and _no one_ sneezed like Kirby. His nose began to tingle as he sucked in a breath, pinching his nose. He always stuck out his tongue while he sneezed, making a funny noise.

Kirby covered his mouth with his hands, but it was too late. Ted kicked down on the stall door and glowered at Kirby who stared at the ground, ashamed. Expecting a kick or a punch, Kirby cowered in the corner. Ted crouched beside him and looked at him.

"Come out of there." His words were kind. Kirby quivered with fear but slowly scooted out, avoiding Ted's stare. He got up to his feet slowly, brushing off his blue sweater. Kirby kept his eyes on the ground, shuffling past Ted. He heard him mumble something but didn't quite catch it as he headed for the door. Kirby felt a hand squeeze his shoulder, causing him to shudder. Ted's other hand moved up his stomach, softly brushing over the bruises Tad had given him. He placed his head on Kirby's shoulder, pulling him back into the locker room. As he slowly dragged Kirby into the large bathroom stall, he whispered into his ear.

"Why don't you like me, Kirby? You kissed that son of a bitch, Jimmy." Kirby's eye went wide with shock. Ted's hand held Kirby's chin up high, still, he handled him delicately like a glass doll. Kirby gulped, taking a deep breath.

"That… was a long… time ago," he didn't sound as confidante as he would have liked, but it seemed to have relaxed Ted just a bit.

"Why don't you like me, Kirby?" he repeated. Kirby bit his lip, keeping Ted in the corner of his eye.

"I… just don't… please, Ted…" Kirby was slowly trying to pull away from Ted's steel grasp, but he just held onto Kirby tighter. He placed his lips against Kirby's shaking neck and kissed him gently. Kirby closed his eyes, trying to black everything out. Ted slipped his free hand under Kirby's sweater, tracing the lines of his abs.

"Your skin is so soft," he breathed. Kirby clenched his hands into fists, tears forming in his eyes. Who was this stranger that was kissing Kirby so carefully? It couldn't be Ted.

_Don't judge a book by its cover,_ his mind told him. Why couldn't he give it one more little try? It's not like he'd stick to Ted anyways - like he would keep Kirby. There were much better people out there in Bullworth. Kirby turned around to face Ted, reaching up on his tiptoes - he tried to kiss the tall athlete. Ted grabbed Kirby's arms tightly and held him in place, their lips inches apart.

"Kirby, are you sure?" he whispered. Ted wiped away Kirby's tears, making Kirby continued to press onwards. The moment his lips touched Ted's, a weird feeling ran through him. No, not the feeling of dread or hatred, but the feelings of something _like_ butterflies. Ted cupped Kirby's face in his large hands and forced him closer, the passion burning in _his_ kiss. Kirby gasped, breaking the kiss, as Ted pulled Kirby's sweater over his head, ruffling his hair. The jock allowed Kirby's sweater to fall to the ground as he kissed Kirby more violently, their mouths colliding together. He moved his lips to the small boy's neck, kissing harshly. Kirby whimpered, causing Ted to stop at his chest. Ted raised an eyebrow and stood up, staring at Kirby.

"Well, I… don't think this is a very… good place to… you know…?" Kirby fumbled with his fingers, keeping his eyes on the ground. He could feel his face blushing furiously. Looking up at Ted, he grinned sheepishly. Ted chuckled and picked the boy up off the ground and into his strong arms. Kirby took in a sharp breath as Ted kicked down the stall, carrying the boy out of the locker room. Kirby kicked at the walls, forcing Ted backwards. He jumped out of his arms and tugged on his navy sweater, glaring at Ted. He laughed and started to run out to the pool, Kirby following behind him. Ted ran up the steps, nodding to the prefects, shoving past the little kids and jumping along the walls. Kirby tried his best to keep up as Ted entered the dorm while he was just jumping over the wall. _Wow, I _am_ in bad shape_, he sighed and walked through the dormitory door. Kirby glanced around and headed for Ted's room, making sure no one was watching him. As he entered the room, Ted tossed his white t-shirt at the boy, causing him to growl. Ted was sitting on the edge of his bed, beckoning for Kirby to come to him. Kirby shifted over to him as the jock grabbed him and set him on his knees, their faces apart by an inch. Kirby placed his hands on Ted's perfectly chiseled chest and pressed his lips on his mouth. The kisses were filled with such fire that Ted had Kirby in just his boxers in seconds, the tiny boy lying on his face, panting. The larger boy leaned over him, adoring Kirby's dark brown eyes. Kirby reached out and hung his arms over Ted's neck, pulling him in towards his self.

_This isn't half as bad,_ Kirby thought, smiling as he kissed Ted, _but something's still not right. _Kirby had noticed he stopped kissing when Ted was staring at him, his eyes curious. He leaned in and whispered in Kirby's ear.

"What's wrong? What do you want?" his voice, filled with a sad tone, agonized Kirby. He wanted to love Ted so much, but something else was tugging away at him, the feeling he needed someone else. The older boy stroked through Kirby's hair, tears spilling over. Ted rolled off him and sat on the edge of the bed, his hands covering his tear stained face. Kirby moved over to him, trying to pull his hands away from his face. Once Ted's blue eyes were looking at him, Kirby crawled into his lap, his head residing in Ted's chest. The silence was gorgeous until Ted broke it with his sobs. Kirby looked up at him and died just a little inside. It was like a blow to the heart to see Ted like that.

"Well, well. Look at what we have here." A familiar voice teased. Kirby turned around and looked at the brown haired prep. Ted held Kirby closer, cursing under his breath. Tad grinned, closing the door behind him. The fear flowed through Kirby as he struggled to get away from Ted's arms, even though he felt it was the safest place for him to be right now.

"Get out right now, _Tad_." Ted growled. Kirby stuffed his face in his chest, praying that Ted would keep him away from this monster. Kirby heard the footsteps draw closer, every ticking second caused his heart to beat faster. He wanted to run, to scream and to hide. Something yanked at his bare neck and he heard a sharp breath come from the prep. Kirby was tossed behind Ted as the prep hissed at him. He heard Tad say something rude and Ted grunted, making Kirby crawl over to the other side of the wall, cowering. A loud crash echoed through the room as Ted was knocked over the head, his nose bleeding. He grimaced at Kirby and jumped back up and jumped onto Tad, crashing into the floor. The fists were flying as Kirby closed his eyes, trying his hardest to ignore the gasps of pain. His stomach churned as he heard hard objects collide with one and other, creating a sickening crack.

Then it went dead silent.


	3. Resentment

**Title: **"A Blow to the Heart"

**Pairing:** KirbyxTed

**Rating:** T+

**Summary**_**: **__"The jocks and the preps are in bad standing due to the clumsiness of their clique members. Kirby hasn't quite figured it out yet, but he may just be in love with his enemy."_

**Authors Notes:** write later

**Disclaimer:** I DO NOT OWN "Bully" and any of its characters, etc. or anything else that I mention within this entire story.

* * *

**Chapter 3 – Resentment **

Kirby opened one eye and looked around. No one was standing. Slowly, he climbed over the bed and cringed as he saw Ted lying on the floor, eyes shut. Just as he was about to jump to his aid, something crashed into him. He hit the floor hard, something crushing him from above. He opened his eyes to see the stupid prep smirking. Tad quickly pinned Kirby down, laughing to himself.

"So, you and Ted, huh? Bloody hell!" He laughed out loud in his faux- British accent. Kirby struggled to free himself, but failed in the attempt. Tad's body was closer than necessary, making Kirby turn a shade of scarlet. Tad smiled mischievously and kissed Kirby's chest. Kirby bit his lip, giving Tad the satisfaction he needed.

"So you _are_ homosexual. Smashing, this might be fun," he grinned. Kirby grimaced as Tad began to suck at his neck. The tears welled up in his eyes as he longed for Ted to help him. Tad's piercing blue eyes locked him in place as his tongue slithered around the boy's body. Kirby squirmed, trying to get free of Tad's strong hold. Then his soft lips forced Kirby's mouth open, shoving his slimy tongue down his throat. Kirby squealed as he kicked and tried to punch the jock off. Tad's fingers entwined around Kirby's ruffled hair and pulled him closer to him. Tad broke free and looked into Kirby's eyes, the prep's own filled with lust. Tad was too strong for him and he undressed him self, pressing his well built figure against Kirby's half naked body. Boy, a boxer's body's was amazing.

_Is this… what I want? _Kirby was confused while the prep kissed all his body, leaving small red marks. The pleasure tingled through his body as Tad's hand slid down his boxers. Kirby winced and cocked his head backwards, biting his tongue. _I just don't get it…he hurt me… is this just a trick? _Kirby finally found his strength and pushed the boy off him. Tad fell to the ground and growled at him. Kirby quickly got up and made a run for the door but something caught his ankle. He fell to the floor, cursing out loud. He looked over his shoulder to see Tad smirking, pulling Kirby towards him. Kirby yelped and kicked at his hand, eventually breaking free of his grasp. He skidded out of the door and jumped into his own dorm bedroom, shutting and locking the door behind him. Kirby sucked in a sharp breath and slumped against the door. His mind was clouded as he dragged his body to the dresser and pulled over a large sweater, one he had bought that was way too big for him, and sat on his bed.

"Why me?" Kirby whispered to himself, crawling into his bed, pulling the sheets high over his bed. The orange sun floated through his open windows, covering his bed sheets. Slowly the sun began to set when Kirby heard a bunch of knocks at his door. Thinking it was Tad, he ignored them, rolling over in his bed.

"K-Kirby? It's me… Petey…" Kirby sat up in his bed quickly and tossed the sheets to the ground and appeared at the door in an instant second. Petey was standing innocently, his chocolate brown hair was combed back smoothly as he invited him self in, closing the door behind him. Kirby raised an eyebrow, ready to pound the kid if he made any funny moves. Petey moved along his bedroom, sitting on Tad's bed. Kirby mimicked him and sat on his own bed, not letting Petey out of his side. _Why is this dorky little kid here to see me?_

"I… I heard noises… you know… from Ted's bedroom and… I decided to… uh… leave it alone and, well, a few hours later the door opened and Ted came out, looking for you. He didn't tell me why, he just needed to find you. He said it was urgent…" Petey trailed off, Kirby looked at him, waiting for him to continue. They sat quietly for a few moments before there was another knock at the door. Petey sat up to get it but Kirby pushed him down to the floor and glided to the door.

"Who is it?" if it was Tad… Kirby looked at the baseball bat in the corner of their room. No one answered.

"Who is it?" the annoyance in his tone surprised Kirby. A soft, gentle voice replied.

"It's Ted, who else would it be?" Kirby smiled to himself, opening the door slowly to see Ted walk in and close the door behind him. Ted's eyes shifted over to Petey as the little boy slide out the door, trying to avoid their eye contact. The door clicked behind them and they stood awkwardly beside each other. Kirby kept his eyes on the floor while Ted sighed.

"Wait… what are those marks…?" Kirby looked his stomach and yelped. He collapsed to the floor and held his arms up to cover him, feeling ashamed. Ted looked at him curiously.

"Did Spencer do that to you…?" he trailed off, his face fuming with anger. "I'm going to fucking kill him!" he began to open the knob but something held onto his ankle. He looked down to see Kirby in tears, holding onto him. The boy looked up at him.

"Please don't leave me ever again." Ted gently fell to the floor beside him and grabbed him. Kirby tossed his arms around Tad, crying silently. Tad caressed him, slowly whispering,

"I'm sorry… I promise I'll never leave you. It's a promise of a lifetime." And just when he spoke those word, Kirby told himself that he could love once again.


	4. Curiosity

**Title: **"A Blow to the Heart"

**Pairing:** Kirby x Ted, Ted x Mandy

**Rating:** T

**Summary**_**: **__"Ted hasn't quite given up Mandy even when Kirby's truly in love with him. Mandy's starting to question Ted's reluctance, who will he choose? "_

**Authors Notes:** Alright, so it's a small chapter. I'm so used to writing something tiny, so it'll take me a while to get to the huge chapters. Please be patient until then. Okay, so I wanted some Ted x Mandy in this, and yes, this is for you, you _straight _couple likers! By the way, I was planning on making this a new story, but I decided to add it onto the story before this.

**Disclaimer:** I DO NOT OWN "Bully" and any of its characters, etc. or anything else that I mention within this entire story.

* * *

**Chapter 4 - Curiosity**

"Oh Ted! You're sooo strong." Mandy cooed as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in for a big kiss. Ted laughed and held her close to him, putting his arm around her waist. Damon came up in front of the two, laughing, as he held a camera up. Mandy kicked up her leg back like Pinky always did and posed for the camera. The flash blinded Ted for a moment when Damon stalked off, following some of the jocks into the gym, grinning. Ted kissed Mandy on the lips, letting his hands run along her slender body. She giggled before jumping over to the cheerleaders in the middle of the huge, grassy field. Kirby sat on the bleachers, his face soft with sorrow. He watched the way Ted and Mandy acted together. _Did those nights mean nothing to him anymore?_

"Hey buddy." Casey plopped beside him, his blonde hair blowing in the wind. Kirby pretended his hands were more important and muttered a small hello. Casey growled and punched Kirby in the shoulder, hard.

"Hey! What was that for?" Kirby snarled, rubbing his arm. Casey laughed and smiled.

"That's more like it! You've been so out lately," he beamed, "Wanna go pass the ball around?" Kirby nodded and jumped down the bleacher steps and onto the field where Casey tossed him the ball. Kirby glanced over to Ted where he was doing push ups. Kirby sighed as the ball collided with his face. He grumbled and fell to the ground, a sting hurt his cheek. Kirby cursed under his breath as Ted ran over to him, leaning over his face. He turned a light shade of pink and rolled over on his side and jumped up quickly.

"I'm fine!" Kirby laughed nervously, he had won over Ted's thoughts. With his small sized brain, he didn't catch on and pulled his arm.

"I'll take him to the nurse's office, make he's okay." He snickered, glancing over at Casey who nodded and ran over to the cheerleaders, waving. Kirby grumbled to him self as Ted pulled him along the stairs.

"Ted… it really isn't necessary." Ted took a turn and hoped over the fence, taking Kirby along with him. This was the spot where Hattick and _that prep_ were caught selling fake tests… Ted softly placed Kirby against the large tree in the center and began to kiss his neck. The small jock threw his arms around Ted's neck, pulling him closer. Ted opened Kirby's mouth and slid his tongue in, making Kirby shiver with pleasure. Kirby broke away and gazed into his sapphire blue eyes, dropping his arms to his sides. Ted cocked his head in confusion causing Kirby to turn away, biting his lip. He fought hard to keep his tears from falling.

"You and Mandy… you treat her like… like she's me…" Kirby sobbed into his sweater, his words coming out muffled. He wiped them away and looked at Ted again, wishing he didn't. Ted's face was agonized as he pulled Kirby into a tight embrace. He stroked his dark brown hair slowly, whispering into his ear. Kirby cuddled up into Ted's chest, crying silently.

"Mandy is nothing to me… she's just there to show… you don't want anyone knowing about us, do you?" He felt a head shake back and forth in his chest, "That's what I thought. Nothing I give her means anything, okay?" He felt Kirby's head nod up and down. Kirby pulled away from him and leaned on his toes and kissed Ted softly and slumped against the tree, his face buried in his hands. Ted heaved a sigh and jumped over the fence, leaving Kirby alone. Ted suffered just a little bit as he heard a sharp take of breath, a small sob that was just hearable from next to the gym. He shook his head in disappointment and pushed through the gym doors to be greeted by an excited Mandy.

Kirby growled and got his self together and jumped over the fence. Slowly, he began to walk to the dorm doors when someone bumped into him.

"Hey! Watch where you're going or you'll get a taste of my pound cake!" he taunted. The white shirt turned around and hissed at him.

"Oh, sorry… Kirby…" Trent whispered and began to walk past him to the gym. His _ex-boyfriend_ and _he_ had been the rude one. Kirby cursed under his breath and walked faster to dormitory. Slowly entering the long hallway he tripped over hundreds of marbles. A swear escaped his lips as he stumbled to get up, being careful not to hurt himself. He heard a low laugh come from ahead of him. He lifted his head and saw Jimmy holding his sides, laughing.

"You want to hear my new recipe for pound cake?!" Kirby charged at him and slipped on more marbles. He heard the whole dorm roar with laughter. Cursing again, he got up and tried to slip into his bedroom but was held back by Jimmy. He swatted the boys hand away and tossed open his door and slammed it shut.

In about an hour or two Ted would come back to their dorm room - thank god for his mother, or he would have never gotten a dorm room change. He slowly slipped off his snow white sneakers and placed them next to his dresser and jumped over onto the bed, looking at the ceiling. The pillow was rock hard on his head, but he didn't care. The bed was only big enough for one person, but they always found a way to fit together. The room was blank, but it wasn't annoying. Sure, they had a few trophies here and there, a few medals, but they didn't like to brag. Yeah, sure they were jocks, but that didn't mean they had to show it off to the world. Kirby sighed and looked across at his old clock.

Eleven fifty o'clock.

Why was he so late? Kirby bit his lip, trying to push the images out of his head. Tomorrow would be Christmas Eve and he had to be glad for Ted's happiness. He wondered if they'd even have a white Christmas… that would be romantic. But Mandy kept coming into his view. Why couldn't Ted just push her out of the picture…? The clock tickled by slowly, the sleep overwhelming him.

_No, I have to stay up for when he comes back. _Kirby's eyes became heavy as they began to close. Just out of the slit of his eye, he could see a large blurry figure enter the door and that's when he drifted off to sleep.


	5. Pieces

**Title: **"Gave It All Away"

**Pairing:** Kirby x Ted, Ted x Mandy

**Rating:** T

**Summary**_**: **__"Ted hasn't quite given up Mandy even when Kirby's truly in love with him. Mandy's starting to question Ted's reluctance, who will he choose? "_

**Authors Notes:** Woo! I really liked writing this chapter because, first of all, I love that song - Pieces by Red - and I thought it would be a good song for the couple. wink wink I think you know what couple I'm talking about here, people. Okay, so I took hbcxgbdzx's advice and tied in why Tad got kicked out of the Harrington House. I almost missed that piece. Thanks! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.

**Disclaimer:** I DO NOT OWN "Bully" and any of its characters, etc. or anything else that I mention within this entire story.

* * *

**Chapter 5 – Pieces**

The sun filtered through the curtains when Kirby began to stir. He slowly raised his arm to block the light from getting in his eyes when he noticed something beside him. He turned his head over just a bit to see Ted sleeping peacefully, his arms wrapped around the small jock waist. Kirby frowned and remained still. How did he put his arm around him without waking him?

_Oh, right. Last night he came in late… just after I drifted off to sleep, _Kirby thought, feeling rather down. He slowly removed Ted's arm and tossed off his blue lettermen sweater. He had forgotten to take it off last night. As he took it off, he felt a small sting on his neck. He grimaced as he used his fingers to feel his skin, wincing as he moved over sensitive skin. Yesterday he must of… Kirby snarled loudly, causing Ted to open his eyes and look at the shirtless boy. He smiled and stretched, yawning. Kirby blushed and rummaged through his dresser, quickly looking for a new shirt.

"Well, good morning." He felt his strong, warm arms lock around his waist once again. Ted pulled him over to the bed and sat down, Kirby in his lap. He laughed as he kissed his neck but Kirby struggled to get away from him.

"Why are you so hesitant today?"

Kirby didn't reply and wiggled out of his hold and grabbed a navy Bullworth hoodie and pulled it over his head. Ted grimaced as he got up and picked up Kirby's sweater from the ground. He pulled it on, smiling, as it fit him perfectly. Maybe a little tight, but it still looked good.

"That's my sweater…" Kirby said his voice sharp. Ted smiled and pulled his pants back on. Kirby rolled his eyes slipped on his sneakers –as he didn't sleep half naked last night. As he headed for the door, Ted grabbed his wrist and pulled him into a kiss. He felt no emotion coming from Kirby as he pushed open the door and left. Ted's face crumpled as he set out looking for Mandy.

So, it was pure white after all. Kirby crouched down, making lines in the snow. He withdrew his finger, shivering from the cold. He stood back up and continued for the large school, taking off his jacket once he got inside. Just in case, he kept his scarf on, praying to god that no one would see his marks. He dragged him self to Art and slumped into his seat, putting very little effort into his pictures. All he could do was fumble with his ear muffs as he waited for the bell to ring.

Minding his own business, Kirby walked down the stairs and entered the cafeteria. The sparkling Christmas ornaments hung all over the place. This year, Edna had tried too hard to decorate the place. He picked up a tray and waited in line, playing with a strand of his hair. Immediately he dropped it, imagining how girly he looked. He did not want the femme-boy title he had heard Gary call Petey walking down the halls. Kirby grimaced as Edna dumped a pile of – what was that mush?! Kirby hissed and sat to a table by him self, seeing as no other jocks were here. Keeping his eyes to the ground, he heard a stool squeak beside him.

"What are you doing here?" Kirby was debating on whether to move down a seat or stay there, it might have looked suspicious. He glanced at the prep out of the corner of his eye and pushed his food – no, it wasn't even food- in front of him, out of the way. Tad heaved a large sigh.

"I'm sorry… It's just…" he bit into an apple, offering Kirby a bite. He hesitated but snatched the apple from his hands, taking a large bite and shoved it back at him. He was starving. Tad chuckled and took another bite, chewing quickly.

"Why are you even talking to me?" Kirby asked coldly. From what this idiot had done, he shouldn't even be in a twenty mile radius of him. He reached across Tad's face and grabbed his own apple – the only editable object in this room. Digging his teeth into it, he listened to Tad talk.

"It was way out of order… I'm not expecting you to forgive me or anything. I would be lucky if you did. I just wanted to say that…" his voice was as low as a whisper now, "damn, I'm no good at these things but…" he paused, "they kicked me out of the Harrington House." Kirby coughed, choking on an apple piece. He placed his hands on the table and glared at Tad.

"How'd that happen?! But-" he hollered.

"Quiet!" half the lunch room was staring, "I don't want anyone else knowing!" he hissed, his voice harsh. Kirby lowered his eyes, whispering an apology.

"So how'd they… you know… kick you out…?" his face was soft. Most of the students stopped looking, only Derby and Bif kept their eyes on them. Kirby felt a shiver run down his spine. Tad focused on his lap, his fingers fumbling with each other.

"Well… I said something… we got into a heated argument… and well… I kind of said something to Derby I shouldn't of… and that's about it." He frowned, taking another bite into his apple – it was almost gone.

"What did you say?" Kirby asked curiously. _What could kick a wealthy kid out of the infamous Harrington House? _He thought, _does this mean he's still a… prep? _He glanced at his shirt. Yup, he still wore an Aquaberry sweater. Kirby bit into his apple - he guessed it was a Gala.

"Well… first I said that I liked someone outside of the clique and boy, they went nuts with that," he laughed, "Derby was in an uproar and Gord and Bif were trying to calm him down. He said it was '_absolutely forbidden'_" he made a sour face, "and he demanded to know who it was. Well, ha, I told him what I did to you and he _lost_ it. He screamed at the tops of lungs and tried to jump me, but Bif managed to hold him back. If it wasn't for that amazing boxer right now, I'd be a dead man." He snickered, smiling to himself. Kirby traced more lines in the wood of the table.

"But you said something else to them… what was it?" Kirby looked at Tad, all his fear of the prep gone. Surprisingly, if you gave him a chance, and he wasn't beating you to a pulp, he was a swell guy.

"Oh, _that_." He covered his mouth to stop from cracking up, "Well… you know how the school rumors about things like Derby and Bif, specially the jocks," he narrows his eyes, Kirby shifted uncomfortably in his seat, "Well, with Pinky standing right there… I said it out loud, very loud."

"Said what?" Kirby whined, his curiosity was breaking him now.

"'Go have a three way with your boyfriend and that cow' and I pointed to Gord and the same time. Gord didn't understand what I said until he remembered the taunts the jocks used to say to him in grade school. Boy that made him furious. So obviously, Pinky broke up with him and is now hitting on Jimmy like crazy," Kirby couldn't help but laugh freely, holding his sides. Tad smiled and chucked his apple in the garbage with a perfect shot. Kirby gasped.

"You didn't say you could play sports!" Kirby said. Tad shrugged and winked at him, picking up his tray and placing it in the stack, Kirby following behind him.

"What are you doing with that snob?" a familiar voice stung Kirby. He felt his heart stop as he turned around to see Ted – Mandy at his side, of course – fuming. Tad turned around and looked at the couple and stuck up his nose at disgust. Kirby shot him a dirty look before answering Ted.

"I was just… talking to him." His words were uneven and weak. Ted stared at him, weakening his fragile mind.

"About what?" he released Mandy and advanced on Kirby, towering over him. Kirby swallowed, his answer stuck in his throat. _Why was he threatening him now?! _Kirby wondered franticly, scared half to death. He'd rather be hit in the face with a football again than face Ted when he was like this. He flinched, causing Tad to step up.

"That is none of your business" he snarled defensively, "_pauper_."

Ted shouted something explicit and shoved him into the wall. Kirby yelled and started to pound at Ted's back, doing no harm. The other jocks merely laughed. Ted pushed Kirby off before holding Tad hard against the wall, cutting off his oxygen. Tad gasped for air, trying to hit Ted's arm off his neck, while muttering insults. Kirby wiped his mouth with his sleeve, blinking at the red blotch on his sleeve. Ted hurt him.

"Ted… you… you hurt me… my lip, it's bleeding," Kirby's voice wobbled, slowly breaking down. Ted dropped Tad to the ground – who took in several deep breathes -before crawling over to Kirby, who sat on the ground, his expression livid. Tad carefully took Kirby's small, round face in his gentle hands, slowly brushing his fingers against his small, injured lip. Kirby jerked his head to the side, pulling away from Tad's hold. He slowly got up to stare at Ted, Mandy standing beside him, suppressing a stupid giggle.

"That's it! It's over!" he screeched, shoving past him and running down the halls. Ted swallowed and stayed on the spot, thinking of what just happened. Tad shot him a dirty look before leaving the area, following after Kirby.

"I always liked Mandy better!" Tad heard Ted yell after him, hoping that Kirby hadn't heard that. Of course he knew all along, the reason why Kirby was so close to Ted. He caught a blue blur in the corner of his eye and chased after it. He was heading towards to boys dorm. Tad sped up to catch up with Kirby, keeping just a few feet behind him. The small boy pushed through the dormitory doors, immediately heading for his room. Kirby barged into his room, pulling out his dresser quickly. Tad leaned on the door frame, watching Kirby pick up a bunch of his stuff.

"Moving out?" his words caught Kirby by surprise. He covered his chest and let out a breath.

"You scared me," He grumbled and set back to cleaning out his drawer. Tad looked around and grinned.

"You want to stay with me until this thing blows over?"

"It'll never blow over,"

"Well then, stay with me forever."

"No." Kirby said stubbornly.

Tad grinded his teeth and his brow creased, clenching his hands into fists. He was restraining his self so hard not to hit the boy right there.

"I won't do it again," Tad promised, smiling to him self at the memory.

"Yes you will, the first chance you get, you dirty pervert." His words were cutting, every single one. Tad hit his fist into the frame, making Kirby jump. He looked at him with wide eyes, Tad cursing under his breath.

"I'm trying to pick up the pieces here! You're so stubborn, can't you accept any help?!" He barked. Kirby flinched as his words, his voice was so harsh. Tad sighed furiously and stood in the doorway, blocking Kirby's way out.

"Stay with me."

"No, you creep."

"I'm lonely."

"Get used to it."

"Just because jocks and preps are enemies doesn't mean we have to be."

"Screw off," Kirby hissed between his teeth, trying to get around Tad. He grinned mischievously and stopped Kirby from exiting. He went to punch the arrogant prep in the stomach but his fist was caught before he could blink. He dropped his back pack and threw his other fist, stopped again.

"You're not that tough. Stay with me, where else will you go?" Kirby hung his head in disappoint and let his arms swing to his sides. He stood there for a long period of time, Tad staring at him. "Well? Answer already." Kirby hesitated, opening and closing his mouth. "Oh hurry up! You know Ted's replaced you with Mandy!" he instantly regretted what he said after seeing Kirby's face crumple with pain.

"Fine, where's your room?" he leaned over and picked up his bag and slung it over his shoulders. Tad grinned and clapped his hands together, walking a few doors down.

"You should remember."

"Shut up." Kirby replied as Tad opened the door for him and Kirby walked in, throwing his bag in the corner and sat on the bed farthest from the door. Tad grumbled - stuck in thought, leaving Kirby to himself for a while, closing the door shut behind him.

Finally, Kirby could let him self loose. He buried his face in his pillow and let out his emotions, the tears streaming down his cheeks and wetting the cover. He grasped the plain sheets tightly, fighting the urge to have a small tantrum. A sharp wail echoed through the dorm as Tad sat outside the door, listening to his painful cries.


	6. Starlight

**Title: **"Gave It All Away"

**Pairing:** Kirby x Tad

**Rating:** T

**Summary**_**: **__"Ted hasn't quite given up Mandy even when Kirby's truly in love with him. Mandy's starting to question Ted's reluctance, who will he choose? "_

**Authors Notes:** Haha, another cliffhanger for you guys. Okay yeah, so, Kirby and Tad are sort of friends by now, If you haven't noticed. I'm debating on whether to make them a couple or just friends. I'm hoping to get the next chapter done soon, because I know some people are excited for the ending. So please enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I DO NOT OWN "Bully" and any of its characters, etc. or anything else that I mention within this entire story.

* * *

**Chapter 6 –Starlight**

Far off in the distance a couple of townie killed yelled into the night, the sun falling behind the gym. Kirby sighed as he looked at his watch. The school was just closed now. It was too late to go grab his textbooks out of locker, he hadn't paid attention to the time as he practiced and ran in silence. Lately, all the football players had been hostile to him, and no, not just him. To all the preppies, the nerds – well, they had been forever ill towards them- and the greasers. Everyone was suffering from the jocks. They attacked from out of no where. Sadly enough, even the prefects couldn't stop them. Paranoid, Kirby looked around, only to see a prefect and a little girl running along the wall. He never knew when they were going to get a piece of him. Quickly, he hurried to his room, unscathed. Upon opening the door, he glanced around for his room mate - Tad Spencer. Recently, he had been the main target for the assaults from the jocks. Was it ever going to end? He walked over to his dresser and pulled out a pair of dark blue cotton pajama pants. He shrugged out of his sweater and placed it in the laundry bin. He saw Trent gawk at his built body as he passed the req. room. Just as he passed the last door to his, Tad sprinted past him, ran into their room, and shut the door loudly. Casey and Bo ran past him, banging on the door.

"Get out and fight us, you coward!" Bo yelled.

"Yeah, get out and fight us, coward!" Damon repeated. Kirby swallowed and backed away, creeping to the dorm bathroom. His escape was unsuccessful.

"Hey! Kirby!" The jocks turned their attention to him, chasing after him with a wooden plank. Kirby bolted for the front door before Bo reached out and grabbed his hair, jerking him back. Kirby howled in pain before turning around, his fist colliding with his jaw. A sharp feeling of agony shot through the top of his skull as he winced, his head searing with pain. He wailed out in pain, grasping his hands to the top of his hair. He felt warm, sticky liquid ooze through his fingers, running down his hair. He fell to his knees, the jocks looking at each other before bailing. Kirby collapsed to the floor, his vision blurring. Through his impaired sight, he saw an Aquaberry sweater run and fall beside him.

Kirby grumbled as he opened his eyes to the bright light. Sitting up quickly, a voice full awoke him.

"Wake up, Kirby. Hey! Finally, are you alright? How are you feeling?" Tad's voice filled the air, making Kirby feel better already. He opened his eyes wider to see a large white room and another bed beside him. He looked ahead and saw a few needles and bandages. The injury in his skull didn't hurt so much, she must have put a needle in his head… the image made Kirby want to throw up.

"I'm… fine," Kirby managed to say without messing up Tad's expensive clothing. Tad smiled at him and a sudden pressure removed from Kirby's left hand. He glanced down to see Tad's fingers withdrawing from his own. Kirby looked up at the boy, he was blushing.

"Well… I was worried… you seemed really hurt and I…" he trailed off, unable to finish his sentence. Kirby pushed the blankets down and threw his arms around him, hugging him tightly. Tad stumbled in his chair and wrapped his arms around his waist, pulling him close. Kirby nuzzled his neck affectionately, giving Tad a little bit of hope. He brushed his lips against the boy's small neck, causing Kirby to pull away and sit back properly on the bed. A few moments passed before the nurse came in, examining Kirby's head, looking at the cut from every angle. She made noises while looking, grunts, snorts and laughs. Finally, she sent the boys off and told Kirby to take a break from playing football for a few weeks. Kirby whined in protest.

"But the big game is soon!"

"I don't give a crap! Your head is injured and you don't want to ruin the stitches!" she said furiously, losing her temper. They decided to leave before she used the needle for a weapon. They walked along the path, towards to field. They passed by the nerd infected library, the silence scared them. They walked up the steps together close to the fountain before being stopped by Derby and the rest of the preps.

"Excuse me, chap. But, we need to talk," he narrows his eyes, _"Tad."_ Tad shrugged his shoulders and sighed. Doing this irritated Derby, just a little bit.

"We see you're hanging out with a _jock_," he breathed, "and we don't like that do we, boys?" the preps nodded their head, being melodramatic. Tad rolled his eyes and his stance tensed. Kirby shuffled behind him, worried that they might attack him._ Never attack a boxer… never attack a boxer…_

"So what are you saying, Derby?" Tad said coolly. After all, he had known these boys for a long period of time. Kirby's legs began to wobble as the sky darkened, the moon hanging in the corner of his view. Derby moved forward, inches away from Tad.

"I'm saying," He took in a breath, Bif's hand on his shoulder, "Dump your little jock friend, or we'll kick you out of the clique." Tad growled, his body pushed forward in an offensive position. Kirby gasped quietly_, someone getting kicked out of their clique?_ That never happened in all his years of Bullworth. Derby impatiently tapped his finger on his forearm, his arms crossed. "Well?" Tad looked over his shoulder at the poor, defenseless jock.

"Never," Derby was taken back by his answer, his teeth grinding. His fists clenched shut, his face turning a dark shade crimson. He lunged forward, his fist rushing past Tad's head.

"No!" Tad hollered, grabbing his elbow quickly, pulling it down quickly. Kirby blinked and slowly took a step back, Derby's fist inches from his face. Four things happened all so quickly that Kirby had to play everything back in slow motion as he was falling to the ground. Bif jumped past Derby, hitting Tad across the face. Derby pushed past Tad, punching Kirby square in the chest. Kirby's air disappeared, his lungs felt like they had exploded. Lastly, Tad fell on top of him, his face apologetic.

"I'm sorry… I just…" he got up quickly, brushing himself off. The preps laughed. Parker laughed harder than the rest as Tad caught what is was. There was a camera in hands.

"Oh dear! Won't that look good on the bulletin board?!" the preps exploded with laughter as they gathered around the digital camera. Tad ran forward and smashed the camera to the ground where it broke into thousands of pieces. Parker yelled a curse word as Tad punched him five times in the stomach. He stumbled back, running to the Harrington house. The other preps looked at each other and followed after him. Kirby groaned as Tad rummaged through the broken pieces for the small memory card. It was hard to find in the dim light of moon. He finally found it and cracked in half, helping Kirby up to his feet.

"Come on," he pulled him forcefully towards the gym. Kirby frowned. He didn't like being dragged all over the place. They ended up in front of the gym doors.

"Now what do we do?" Kirby complained, he was not in the mood for playing around. Tad jumped up to the wall next to the building, jumping over it. Kirby cursed under his breath before weakly jumping on the wall. He was about halfway over until he lost his balance and fell. He landed in Tad's warm arms, he held him close.

"Woah, careful there!" he smiled at Kirby. Kirby blushed and avoided his eyes, jumping to the ground. Tad grinned and hopped along to where the tree was. This was where Ted and he would…

Tad fell on his back, his arms behind his head. He yawned, Kirby carefully sitting beside him, his legs crossed. He looked up into the sky, the stars glittering in the pitch black sky. A crescent moon hovered above the brightest star. A cricket chirped in the distance, it was the only sound for a while.

"The starlight is gorgeous, hey?" he had dropped his faux-British accent. Kirby couldn't understand why he had one, his voice was perfectly normal without it. Kirby laid on his back softly, being careful of his head, his hands on his stomach.

"Yeah." The conversation was seemed awkward for him as he shifted a few inches away from Tad.

He sighed. "I'm sorry about what I did… the night… well… you know," he didn't sound like he was kidding, "I mean… it was way out of line… it was wrong too, I just-"

"Shut up," Kirby was nearly in tears, "I get it, alright? I… I can forgive you… but never completely."

"Why are you smarter than the other jocks? They have brains the size of peas… and yet, you're different," Tad changed the subject.

Kirby snorted, "Unlike them, I pay attention in class and do my homework." Tad raised an eyebrow.

"Why? Why do you try so hard?" Tad felt guilty after cheating on his test by buying answers from Mr. Hattrick. Well, what could you do when your grades were horribly low?

"I have a feeling I won't be playing sports when I'm older." He said sadly. Tad frowned.

"Why? You're amazing at football!" he protested. He would know, from sitting in the tree and watching them, the way Jimmy used to. Kirby took in a sharp breath. He wouldn't be able to hold the tears back much longer.

"Look at me, I'm small, tiny. You don't see that many small people playing the NFL," he sighed, "besides, I'm not good enough." Tad knew the first part was true, but certainly not the second piece.

"I am looking at you. I see a football star." He said sweetly. Kirby couldn't help but blush and turned his head to the other side, looking away from Tad. He felt a hand caress his chin, pulling him closer. A sudden crack made them both jump, sitting upright, looking around franticly. Kirby leaned against Tad, the larger boy's arm around his back, holding him close. There was a sharp scream then they heard an echo of laughter on the other side of the wall afterwards.

"Gord!" Tad hissed under his breath.

"Ted!" Kirby snarled, trying to break free of Tad's grasp, "He has to stop hurting everyone!" he whispered, his fury building up. Tad held onto him closely.

"I'm not letting you get hurt, stay here," he said, it sounded like an order. Kirby scowled as Tad beckoned for him to stay and jumped the wall. After Tad was gone, Kirby could not help but let one tear escape.


	7. Beloved

**Title: **"A Blow to the Heart"

**Pairing:** Kirby x Tad

**Rating:** T+

**Summary**_**: **__"Ted hasn't quite given up Mandy even when Kirby's truly in love with him. Kirby's starting to question Ted's reluctance, who will he choose? "_

**Authors Notes:** Sorry for such a long wait, folks! To tell the truth, I completely forgot about this until a friend of mine -

Dragonballgeek101

- reminded me about it. Thanks! If it wasn't for ever, this story would of never had an ending. Warning for a little violence, more drama, and slash!

**Disclaimer:** I DO NOT OWN "Bully" and any of its characters, etc. or anything else that I mention within this entire story.

* * *

**Chapter 7 - Beloved**

The wind whipped against Kirby's skin, his head searing with pain. Ted's voice was like a dagger through his heart, he worried for Tad though. The yells of the jocks reminded Kirby that he should be out there, fighting him.

No. He was different.

It was his fault to push the boundaries, to befriend the enemy - the jock's enemy. He could've left Tad in the lunchroom, but then, who would he have? He had a feeling that Ted was forming a close relationship with Mandy – something the two boys' could never achieve. A shrill scream echoed through the night, he recognized it as Casey's. One down, he had a few more left. But how many was Tad fighting? Ted's laughter was hysterical, he was sure to win the fight without lifting a finger. Kirby felt as if his heart was going to explode out of his chest as he heard Tad grunt. Soon after, he heard Damon's strangled yell as his body hit the floor.

"How dare you?!" Ted roared and Kirby heard quick footsteps echoing through the eerie night.

"No!" Tad screamed. Kirby felt shivers tingle down his spine, a cold sweat forming on his forehead. A sound of wood hit against the stone ground, repeated over and over again. Kirby recognized the sound as a baseball bat. The memory hit him with full force, nearly knocking the wind out of him. He clenched his chest where his heart was an instant reaction. The pain made it hard for him to concentrate, he couldn't tell if he was thinking clearly but Kirby jumped over the fence to see Ted, bat above his head, with Tad lying on the ground. Ted's gaze flickered over to him for a mere second before the bat began to fall, very fast.

"Tad!" Kirby cried, running as fast as he could. _Land a blow on his face, nothing else matters,_ Kirby thought as he had seconds to counter attack. His fist collided with something hard, his leg being swept out from underneath him. He fell to the floor, hard, the bat clanging beside him. He saw his breath in front of him, Ted's hands covering his face. He felt Tad quickly pick up the bat behind him and saw him jump at Ted.

"That's for hurting him, filthy pauper!" he started pounding him with all the strength he had. Ted quickly fell to the ground, groaning in agony. Tad stood breathless over him, the wooden weapon slipping through his fingers. He turned over and looked at Kirby, his green eyes keeping him on the spot. Kirby's heart fluttered as he took in a step towards him, his hand extended. He reluctantly took it. _He hurt him… my - _what was Ted to Kirby now? Tad pulled him into his chest, his arms wrapped around Kirby.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered, Kirby clutching Tad's shirt tightly. "I'm so sorry you had to see that…" Tad ran his fingers through the small boy's hair, kissing the top of his head lightly so he wouldn't feel the pain. Kirby tried to pull away, but Tad held onto him tightly. The wet seeping into his shirt made Tad realize he wasn't crying of pain, but of distress of what he'd seen.

"Hold still, stupid boy," the nurse said, slowly removing the stitches from Kirby's head. Tad sat in the corner, watching as Kirby squirmed, cursing at the nurse when she pricked him. He felt the last of the thread being slowly removed from his skull, the feeling making him queasy. He grumbled as he jumped off the counter, walking glumly towards Tad.

"Now stay out of water!" she called after him as they opened the door together, walking out into the misty morning. It was just that time after dawn, when no one was out. Kirby stumbled along the school, pushing along the walls for support. Tad frowned as they passed Seth – a prefect – who gave them a death stare before continuing his patrol. Kirby kept walking as Tad followed confused.

"Where are we going?" he asked, watching Kirby closely in case he slipped. Kirby didn't reply.

"Excuse me, but I asked-"

"I want to talk to someone," he shivered from the cold. Tad grimaced, he had forgotten it was Christmas Eve and he hadn't gotten Kirby a single gift. He sighed before following Kirby who stopped at the fountain at the three intersections. He glanced each way before taking a left towards the Harrington house. Tad quickly grabbed his shoulder – trying to handle him gently.

"What are you thinking?" he hissed through his teeth. Kirby pulled away from his hold and walked down the steps, ignoring the stare of Pinky. Tad nodded apologetically, causing her to stick up her nose and walk away. _Right… they don't like me,_ Tad thought, and his mind was hazy in the morning. Kirby stood at the doors, seeming to be waiting. Tad raised an eyebrow and Kirby looked back, his face telling the story.

"Oh, well. I'm not a prep, remember?" he whispered but Kirby tapped his finger lightly on the door. _Why isn't he talking?_ Tad wondered as he opened the door slowly, surprised no one was inside. Kirby stepped inside, his white sneakers squeaking against the hard wooden floor. Tad tugged at his scarf, pulling it off quickly and wrapping it around Kirby's neck. He gave him an odd look but walked inside the house like it was his own. Tad reluctantly followed after him, the entrance hall completely empty of people.

"What are you doing in here_, jock_?" a familiar voice hissed, causing Kirby flinch, but he pressed on. Bif snarled as Kirby stood in front of him, glaring fiercely at the unwelcome guests. He snorted with laughter when Kirby pushed him weakly backwards.

"And you call yourself an athlete?! Pathetic," Bif smirked, still standing beside the fireplace, arms crossed. His gaze shifted to Tad who immediately looked down at his feet. "Well, what do you want?"

"IknowaboutyouandDerby," Kirby whispered softly but quickly. Bif looked taken back. Tad had gotten the gist of it, but where was he going with this?

"Excuse me?" he asked, moving his hands on to his hips. Tad's focus flickered around the room. Where were Derby and the other preps? Kirby took in a deep breath. Tad noticed his fingers were shakily slightly. Inside his mind, he chuckled as he watched the two students talk. Kirby was so much smaller and could've been crushed easily by Bif if he just stomped on him. The sudden thought made Tad go rigid – losing Kirby wasn't an option.

"I know… about you… and Derby…" he repeated, this time more slowly. "I saw you two holding hands… in the ally way… in Old Bullworth Vale…"

Tad's eyes locked on Bif's and as he did, the color in his face drained. Bif slowly closed his bright emerald green eyes and remained silent for a bit. Taking a deep breath, he opened them.

"What… do you want…? Kirby…?" Bif asked hastily, saying his name obviously disgusted him. Kirby smirked, and then winced from the small pain in his head, "Just please, don't tell anyone… I beg of you. Derby would…hate me," and Tad believed that. Derby would strike down anyone at any time. After all, he considered people his 'tools'. What an awful name for your friends who'd break their backs for you. He was surprised about how honest Bif was.

"I want you to tell your "friends" that Tad is always welcomed into this clique, you hear me?" Kirby hissed. It almost sounded like a threat to Tad's ears. Bif nodded solemnly before turning around and heading up the stairs. He turned around to see Tad's smiling face and laughed.

"What are you laughing about?"

"It's just… I could feel you were so scared behind me," Kirby chuckled, "and it gave me more confidence I guess…"

Tad grinned at him and opened his arms, making Kirby snuggle into his chest. Moments passed at the two embraced, Tad taking in the smell of his wonderful cologne. As Kirby pulled away slowly, Tad still kept his hands on his shoulder.

"Here," Kirby said as he began to tug at the Aquaberry scarf. Tad shook his head and put his hand on Kirby's fumbling fingers. Kirby looked at him, his eyes questioning. "But isn't it expensive?" He remembered passing by an Aquaberry store before with the exact same store. He could've bought five new pricey footballs with the price of the scarf. Once again, Tad shook his head - suddenly all the pain in his head dissolved.

"Not for me. Merry Christmas," he smiled, bringing his lips closer to Kirby's.

* * *

_A few weeks later…_

"Go, Kirby!" Tad shouted from the stands of the Bullworth football field. Gord joined in a moment later and the preps laughed as number 34 – Dan – took down a player from the Astral Mustangs. Smiling proudly, Tad waved at Kirby who was waiting on the bench to be subbed in. Waving back, Kirby gave him a thumb up before returning his focus to the game. All had gone well for the two since Kirby's little "suggestion" to Bif. Tad was accepted back into the clique with grace, as if they had forgotten about the whole little incident. Even better, the two little love birds were still together and Kirby was aloud into the Harrington House. Even though the two cliques were at peace with each other, they still never combined. Quote Derby 'They sweat, that's disgusting. They would stink up the Harrington House' and after that small speech, the preps glared at him and Kirby shrugged, laughing. He was so cute when he laughed. Everything was so simple for them.

"_Touchdown!_ The Bullworth Bulls take a healthy lead over the Mustangs, 24 – 7!" the local announcer yelled. Who knew Gary Smith's dad was a sports announcer? The stands jumped up, roaring like lions. Kirby could hear Tad's voice above all others. As the next play was about to begin, they subbed players. Kirby slapped Juri's hand, taking his position. Even though the winter temperature still lingered around, almost the whole school was here. It wasn't even the Big Game that was due in a couple of months. The referee had allowed players to wear scarves, mittens, whatever kept them warm. Most players didn't wear anything but out of the eleven players on the Bulls, one wore a blue striped scarf. It was the one Tad had given to him for Christmas. Now, Kirby wasn't from an ultimately wealthy family so he couldn't buy anything for Tad but he did manage to give him something - Kirby. He had given to Tad himself that long, beautiful night.

Tad beamed as he remembered how Kirby called out his name, the swift movements of his hands, how Kirby's skin felt. It was something he'd never forget. Other than the scarf, Tad had gotten Kirby a gold bracelet for his wrist so he would always remember his favorite preppy. Tad yelled out proudly as Kirby took down a player from the opposing team.

The game went by quickly as Bullworth had won, 36 – 14 - a crushing defeat. Kirby and his team slapped hands with the other team before bouncing off to the locker rooms to change. Tad laughed, it sounded as if they had won the Super Bowl. He had seen it on TV before, but never really paid attention to the sport until Kirby had his first few games. Tad sat up and excused himself from his friends, moving through the whole school. He walked up the long flight of stairs and turned into the gym, knocking on the locker room wall.

"What do you want, prep?" A jock asked coldly as he stood by the open arc. Tad nodded over at Kirby who was just pulling on his shirt, looking over at Tad and blushed, looking away. Bo walked past him and disappeared. Tad winked at Kirby and then came in, putting his arm around the small jock.

"You were smashing! Bloody brilliant! I haven't seen that great of play since the… ah – what do you guys call it… the super tub?" Tad cocked his head, lost in thought. Kirby rocked on his heels, stroking Tad's cheek softly to wake him gently from his mind. Tad shook his head and looked down at him – taking him in his arms.

"Super bowl, you moron," Kirby smiled.


End file.
